Comparison of Photobiomodulation Therapy Types for Adults with Chronic Pain

Purpose : Our study aimed to compare the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and light-emitting diode therapy (LEDT) for chronic pain intensity reduction and body temperature increase in older adults with chronic pain. Methods : Overall, 144 of 332 participants' records were used in this retrospective chart review. The study was conducted at a private health center in Busan city and the integrative medical center of a tertiary care hospital in Daegu city, South Korea. Patients experiencing chronic pain for over 6 months were assigned to either the LLLT or LEDT group. Both groups underwent 16 sessions of phototherapy held twice a week for 8 weeks, with each session lasting 60 minutes. The primary outcomes for both groups were the mean visual analogue scale (VAS) scores and body temperatures in both groups. The secondary outcome was the correlation between changes in body temperature and pain intensity. Measurements were recorded at the baseline and at each follow-up session. Results : A decrease in pain intensity and an increase in body temperature (p<.001) were observed in both groups. There was a significant difference in the VAS scores and temperature changes between the groups (p<.001). Odditionally, there were significant differences in the patterns of change in the VAS score and body temperature between the groups as the sessions progressed (p<.01), and a strong inverse correlation between body temperature and pain intensity changes were observed (p<.01). Conclusion : The use of photobiomodulation therapy at a specific wavelength may improve pain severity and simultaneously increase the body temperature among elderly people with chronic pain.